Once citizens believe a nation is "a republic but not a democracy" it’s easier for a strongman to limit majority-rule voting so “only the right people” get to vote or have their vote counted
Thanks Thom for pointing this out. It's a meme that has confused me in the past.
RE: "Rockefeller continued, taking on the crowd, “which would subvert this party to purposes alien to the very basic tenets which gave this party birth. Precisely one year ago today, on July 14, 1963, I warned that the Republican Party is in real danger of subversion by a radical, well-financed and highly disciplined minority. The methods of these extremist elements I have experienced at first hand.”"
What Rockefeller "experienced first hand" is also what John Deam experienced and lead to his book titled Conservatives Without Conscience. Dean was under attack by his own party members and he decided to figure out why and then documented his findings that included the works of Professor Robert Altemeyer on right-wing authoritarians.
"Conservatives w/o Conscience" saved my sanity along the way. It is so weird and painful when highly educated people you're accustomed to love and trust think WHAT? And turn on you at the slightest quibble. Now what "they" believe is so detached from reality, it's a whole new level in history, I fear. Bad enough, for instance: "The U.N. is as Jewish as Coney Island." a Bircher meme from the 60's But what the heck can you do with ground up babies in the vaccine, etc.? I imagine some of the malicious Pied Pipers are gasping with incredulous glee at what is getting swallowed hook, line and suicide, as they toy with what's the most impossible and harmful tidbit they can put out next, just because they can, and there seem to be no limits.
I think the meanings of “democracy” and “republic” are as misunderstood as the unintelligible 2nd Amendment. Based upon the things I’ve learned from Thom over the years, I would like to offer yet another way to look at what is a “republic” and what is a “democracy,” as well some of the “so what” of it. I think that we can regard our republic to be the organizational structure and processes for decision-making in our representational democracy, and our “democracy” determines how we employ the republic’s infrastructure and decision-makers to meet their constitutional purpose based upon the rule of the people. A republic can be democratic, autocratic, plutocratic, or, in the case of the Trump years, run by kakistocratic grifters (where incompetence meets corruption). Regardless of their labels, they are all just terms for those who might rule our republic kind of government. In our democracy, our citizens are supposed to have equal rights to choose, support, and collaborate with our elected decision-makers, and from that collaboration, our elected leaders get to decide how to best promote our general welfare. You could say that the purpose of our republic is to deliver democracy to our fellow citizens.
I always taught my students that we were a democratic republic, and stressed Ben Franklin's (possibly apocryphal) quote! "If we can keep". Let's work hard to keep it!
We had a wingnut editor, since retired, in our one-paper town who ran a highly partisan weekly opinion piece. One of his red-button topics was whether the USA was a republic or a democracy. And, even though it was all pure bs, he presented himself as both a scholar and a student of the subject, citing the usual echo-chamber noise and think-tank disinformation as go-to sources.
Invariably, everything rhymed with Republican. For decades, before internet social media, he was the premier influencer for the rubes, the voice of authority, someone whom dumb people thought a smart person should sound like. Their various letters back and forth revealed their true hearts and minds — racists to the core who simply do not believe in democracy because they do not think everyone should vote. Calling the nation a republic somehow condones disgusting attitudes while excusing voter suppression. What?! You can't connect the dots?
The dumb people also “think” that calling “Meerkkka” a “Christian republic” rhymes even better. See? Throwing Jesus into the mix always gives you another out, like an Ace in the hole for three of a kind — Guns, God, and white people.
Yeah, high on the list of bizarreness is the "Christians" going with the assaultive philanderer con-man who thinks military service is for suckers and taking the 5th is for guilty people, but he don't have to tell ya nothin'.... I wonder if the bumper sticker WWJD is Commie?
Liberal Jesus is a dirty commie! Or maybe just a wimpy socialist, do-gooder hippy dude who needs a bath. Probably a DumbocRAT. "Real Jesus" is more of a glistening, shirtless, he-man Lord-type clutching an AR-15, wearing a US flag bandanna, ready to smite thine enemies. A Republican hypocrite for sure.
It's ten months till the election, in fifty-one weeks a new congress will take office. The world is sick and on fire. Even the good people at the Sierra Club are networking to fight for voting rights.
I got a good email from them yesterday.
The Republicans are succeeding in passing these state laws, but it remains to be seen who they will enrage when they publicly overturn an election. They think they know what the big picture is. NOPE!
Little "d" democratic ideas and systems function all over this country in many forms: class president, mayor, city council, county commissioner, sheriff, state houses, governors, etc.. Also, we have something precious the founding fathers never dreamed of, connectivity. Let's use it to breathe new life into this old democratic republic.
Sometimes the Kent State Vietnam protest deaths are fingered as a turning point. Sometimes the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Will the election of '22 be a fiasco that turns things around in a good way? Will ambulances be called to lines miles long? Will the disconnect from exit polls and media be shocking enough? Video of armed militia at polling sites? Remember the old Greek idea of hubris. (the definition of which might be: "Trump.") I dearly would love for the Trump-drunk Republicans to NOT go their length and crash and burn, but what a dilemma in hopes.
Thanks Thom for pointing this out. It's a meme that has confused me in the past.
RE: "Rockefeller continued, taking on the crowd, “which would subvert this party to purposes alien to the very basic tenets which gave this party birth. Precisely one year ago today, on July 14, 1963, I warned that the Republican Party is in real danger of subversion by a radical, well-financed and highly disciplined minority. The methods of these extremist elements I have experienced at first hand.”"
What Rockefeller "experienced first hand" is also what John Deam experienced and lead to his book titled Conservatives Without Conscience. Dean was under attack by his own party members and he decided to figure out why and then documented his findings that included the works of Professor Robert Altemeyer on right-wing authoritarians.
"Conservatives w/o Conscience" saved my sanity along the way. It is so weird and painful when highly educated people you're accustomed to love and trust think WHAT? And turn on you at the slightest quibble. Now what "they" believe is so detached from reality, it's a whole new level in history, I fear. Bad enough, for instance: "The U.N. is as Jewish as Coney Island." a Bircher meme from the 60's But what the heck can you do with ground up babies in the vaccine, etc.? I imagine some of the malicious Pied Pipers are gasping with incredulous glee at what is getting swallowed hook, line and suicide, as they toy with what's the most impossible and harmful tidbit they can put out next, just because they can, and there seem to be no limits.
I think the meanings of “democracy” and “republic” are as misunderstood as the unintelligible 2nd Amendment. Based upon the things I’ve learned from Thom over the years, I would like to offer yet another way to look at what is a “republic” and what is a “democracy,” as well some of the “so what” of it. I think that we can regard our republic to be the organizational structure and processes for decision-making in our representational democracy, and our “democracy” determines how we employ the republic’s infrastructure and decision-makers to meet their constitutional purpose based upon the rule of the people. A republic can be democratic, autocratic, plutocratic, or, in the case of the Trump years, run by kakistocratic grifters (where incompetence meets corruption). Regardless of their labels, they are all just terms for those who might rule our republic kind of government. In our democracy, our citizens are supposed to have equal rights to choose, support, and collaborate with our elected decision-makers, and from that collaboration, our elected leaders get to decide how to best promote our general welfare. You could say that the purpose of our republic is to deliver democracy to our fellow citizens.
I always taught my students that we were a democratic republic, and stressed Ben Franklin's (possibly apocryphal) quote! "If we can keep". Let's work hard to keep it!
We had a wingnut editor, since retired, in our one-paper town who ran a highly partisan weekly opinion piece. One of his red-button topics was whether the USA was a republic or a democracy. And, even though it was all pure bs, he presented himself as both a scholar and a student of the subject, citing the usual echo-chamber noise and think-tank disinformation as go-to sources.
Invariably, everything rhymed with Republican. For decades, before internet social media, he was the premier influencer for the rubes, the voice of authority, someone whom dumb people thought a smart person should sound like. Their various letters back and forth revealed their true hearts and minds — racists to the core who simply do not believe in democracy because they do not think everyone should vote. Calling the nation a republic somehow condones disgusting attitudes while excusing voter suppression. What?! You can't connect the dots?
The dumb people also “think” that calling “Meerkkka” a “Christian republic” rhymes even better. See? Throwing Jesus into the mix always gives you another out, like an Ace in the hole for three of a kind — Guns, God, and white people.
Pretty simpleminded stuff. And very effective.
Yeah, high on the list of bizarreness is the "Christians" going with the assaultive philanderer con-man who thinks military service is for suckers and taking the 5th is for guilty people, but he don't have to tell ya nothin'.... I wonder if the bumper sticker WWJD is Commie?
Liberal Jesus is a dirty commie! Or maybe just a wimpy socialist, do-gooder hippy dude who needs a bath. Probably a DumbocRAT. "Real Jesus" is more of a glistening, shirtless, he-man Lord-type clutching an AR-15, wearing a US flag bandanna, ready to smite thine enemies. A Republican hypocrite for sure.
Yeah, baby! Feel better? 100% love here.
It's ten months till the election, in fifty-one weeks a new congress will take office. The world is sick and on fire. Even the good people at the Sierra Club are networking to fight for voting rights.
I got a good email from them yesterday.
The Republicans are succeeding in passing these state laws, but it remains to be seen who they will enrage when they publicly overturn an election. They think they know what the big picture is. NOPE!
Little "d" democratic ideas and systems function all over this country in many forms: class president, mayor, city council, county commissioner, sheriff, state houses, governors, etc.. Also, we have something precious the founding fathers never dreamed of, connectivity. Let's use it to breathe new life into this old democratic republic.
Sometimes the Kent State Vietnam protest deaths are fingered as a turning point. Sometimes the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Will the election of '22 be a fiasco that turns things around in a good way? Will ambulances be called to lines miles long? Will the disconnect from exit polls and media be shocking enough? Video of armed militia at polling sites? Remember the old Greek idea of hubris. (the definition of which might be: "Trump.") I dearly would love for the Trump-drunk Republicans to NOT go their length and crash and burn, but what a dilemma in hopes.
Thom, let me in on what’s going on please.